Locals: Bridesmaid knocks loose the cobwebs with its heavy sound

Wednesday

Nov 6, 2013 at 12:01 AMNov 7, 2013 at 7:59 PM

Bridesmaid might be the first band that doubles as its own cleaning service.

Bridesmaid might be the first band that doubles as its own cleaning service.

"When we play out you can tell if the place has had a party in the last year because confetti will start raining down from the rafters right [after we start]," said Bob Brinkman, 33, who joins the trio for a show at Carabar on Friday, Nov. 8. "We played a house show in Athens one time and we all looked like coal miners afterwards because no one had dusted the rafters beforehand. We were caked in the asbestos and whatever else had been building up for 30 years in this basement."

Inadvertent dusting is just one side effect of the band's rafter-rattling, doom-laden sound, which is created by employing the booming low tones of dual bass guitars (Scott Hyatt mans the second) alongside drummer Cory Barnt. It's an effect further heightened by the sheer volume with which the trio plays, and its concerts tend to double as physical experiences.

"When we're playing we're shaking the room and you can feel the vibrations," Brinkman said. "You can feel it when certain frequencies hit."

Though the three have been making music in Bridesmaid for more than four years, they only recently released their debut full-length, Breakfast at Riffany's, an earthy effort that stretches from the midnight rumble of "Jakin' Care of Business" to "Francis with Wolves," a bible-black cut that opens in ominous fashion (the first three minutes could leave children reaching for the night light at bedtime) before giving way to a searing guitar solo courtesy of Pelican's Dallas Thomas - the first time the instrument has been employed on a Bridesmaid track.

Despite the brief flirtation with guitar, the band has largely held to its established template, resisting any urge to add vocals.

"There were [vocals] on the first couple rounds of songs, but it doesn't fit what we're doing now, and I get to yell in my hardcore band so I get it out of my system," Brinkman said. "Being an instrumental band gives us more freedom."

As for that brief guitar cameo? Unless Thomas volunteers his services again in the future, it's a safe bet the six-string appearance will be one-and-done.

"I learned on bass, and I never had the desire to switch over [to guitar]," Brinkman said. "It has too many strings and they're too close together. It's a dumb instrument."